Wireless mobile communication devices may include processors, memory, and input/output components such as touch interfaces and displays, and may be capable of executing one or more software applications in addition to providing for voice communications. Examples of software applications may include web browsers, email clients, instant messaging clients, and address books. Additionally, such devices may, for example, be used to browse web sites on the Internet, to transmit and receive graphics, and to execute streaming media applications. Such devices may operate on a variety of networks, including cellular networks, wireless local area networks, and combinations thereof.
One problem with wireless mobile communication devices is that such devices may provide access to sensitive data or applications, or more generally, content. Such content may be sensitive for any of a variety of reasons, such as personal reasons (e.g. personal photos), commercial reasons (e.g. customer lists), or legal reasons (e.g. patient data). This content may have various levels of sensitivity.
Approaches to control access to such content on wireless devices include the use of passwords and timers. For example, wireless devices may require a user to provide a pre-determined password prior to permitting access to sensitive content. Similarly, wireless devices may be designed to automatically enter a locked state after a certain period of inactivity, or, similarly, automatically prevent access to sensitive content after such period but continue to permit access to regular content.
One problem with use of a password is that such requirements may be considered unfriendly or overly intrusive by users, particularly for devices designed for single-user use. One problem with use of an inactivity timer is that if an unlocked phone is accessed by an unauthorized third party prior to expiry of the timer, then access to the secure content may continue to be permitted for an indefinite period of time.